HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.312
Reps. Glanville, Haadsma, MacDonell and Rheingans offered the
following resolution:
1 A resolution to declare December 9-15, 2024, as Computer
2 Science Week in the state of Michigan.
3 Whereas, Computer Science Education Week highlights the
4 crucial role that computer science plays in transforming our
5 society and how computer science enables innovation and creates
6 economic opportunities; and
7 Whereas, Computing technology is an integral part of modern
8 culture and is transforming how people interact with each other and
9 the world around them; and
10 Whereas, Computer science is transforming industry, creating
11 new fields of commerce, driving innovation in all fields of
Computer Science W 24H
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1 science, and bolstering productivity in established economic
2 sectors; and
3 Whereas, The field of computer science is a foundational
4 subject that underpins the information technology sector of our
5 economy, which is a significant contributor to United States
6 economic output; and
7 Whereas, Artificial intelligence literacy refers to the
8 knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with how artificial
9 intelligence works, including fundamental concepts in computer
10 science, and how to use artificial intelligence safely,
11 responsibly, and ethically; and
12 Whereas, The field of computer science, including artificial
13 intelligence, are technologies with the power to fundamentally
14 transform nearly all sectors of the United States economy; and
15 Whereas, Technological leadership in all areas of computer
16 science, including artificial intelligence, is an economic and
17 national security imperative; and
18 Whereas, The outlook for computer science jobs is bright with
19 over 500,000 open computing positions across the country; and
20 Whereas, Providing students the chance to participate in high-
21 quality computer science activities exposes them to the rich
22 opportunities the field offers and provides critical thinking
23 skills that will serve them throughout their lives; and
24 Whereas, All students deserve a thorough preparation in
25 computer science education, including access to the qualified
26 teachers, technology, and age-appropriate curriculum needed to
27 learn computer science at the elementary and secondary levels of
28 education; and
29 Whereas, Computer science education has challenges to address,
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1 including improving access to computer science courses for all
2 students, and providing professional development for computer
3 science teachers; and
4 Whereas, Participating in an hour of code during Computer
5 Science Education Week can serve to demystify the field of computer
6 science and encourage more students to take up further studies of
7 computer science; and
8 Whereas, The field of computer science has significant equity
9 barriers to address, including attracting and retaining a field of
10 candidates diverse in race, ethnicity, and gender at all levels and
11 branches; and
12 Whereas, Grace Murray Hopper, one of the first females in the
13 field of computer science, engineered new programming languages and
14 pioneered standards for computer systems which laid the foundation
15 for many advancements in computer science; and
16 Whereas, The week of December 9, in honor of Grace Hopper's
17 birthday, is designated as ‘Computer Science Education Week’: now,
18 therefore, be it
19 Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of
20 this legislative body declare December 9-15, 2024, as Computer
21 Science Week in the state of Michigan. We encourage schools,
22 teachers, researchers, universities, business leaders, and
23 policymakers to identify mechanisms for teachers to receive cutting
24 edge professional development to provide sustainable learning
25 experiences in computer science at all educational levels and
26 students to be exposed to computer science concepts; and support
27 opportunities, including through existing programs, for female
28 students and students from racial and ethnic groups
29 underrepresented in computer science.